


Child of the Stars

by heytheremisssong



Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: F/M, Family, Original Character(s), Time Babies
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-05-25
Updated: 2015-04-05
Packaged: 2018-01-26 06:03:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 18,160
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1677452
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heytheremisssong/pseuds/heytheremisssong
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>She bursts into his life every so often. More chaotic than River, that's certain. It's not until he sees them together that he realises - she's a perfect mix of the two of them. Chaos, ferocity, intelligence, all rolled into one small package. God, he was in trouble.</p><p>This is the story of Bella Song, and how she met her parents.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Do I Wanna Know?

**Author's Note:**

> 'Do I know you?'
> 
> 'Not yet you don't.' She smirked, pulling her long blonde hair into a messy bun and holding out her hand. 'Bella Williams. Space-time assassin.'
> 
> 'Nice to meet you, Bella Williams.' He shook her hand which was dwarfed by his. 'I'm The Doctor.'

The first time he saw her he was in his Ninth regeneration, stuck on Satellite 5 with Jack and Rose. Bright green eyes stared at him, a maniacal grin on the face mere inches from his. 'Hi there!' Swinging her hand back, she struck one of their attackers square in the chest, knife penetrating armour like it was made of butter. 'Thought you might need a hand.'

'I uh... Thank you?' He stammered, somewhat in shock. She grinned, sliding the knife back into the sheath strapped to her thigh. 'Do I know you?'

'Not yet you don't.' She smirked, pulling her long blonde hair into a messy bun and holding out her hand. 'Bella Williams. Space-time assassin.'

'Nice to meet you, Bella Williams.' He shook her hand which was dwarfed by his. 'I'm The Doctor.'

'Oh I know who you are.' Turning around she saw Jack walking towards them, Rose trailing behind. 'Rose Tyler _and_ Captain Jack Harkness? Oh god, I am early.'

'Early?' She had to be from his future, then.

'Really early. Shoulda known just by looking at you. Damn. Gotta run! Lovely meeting you.' And with that she was gone in a flash of light.

* * *

She showed up a few more times before he regenerated into his Tenth face - sometimes it was just for a cuppa and a chat, other times she would blow up an army. He started noticing things about her. Little things, mostly.

Sweet tooth (the way she practically poured sugar into her tea cup made his teeth hurt). Right handed. Lots of tattoos (the ones he could see, anyway). Funny. Smart.  _Chaos_. She would sometimes burst into the TARDIS in her pyjamas, hair mussed with sleep, cup of tea in her hand and a blanket around her shoulders, giving him the simple explanation that she couldn't sleep. 'Got a few hours before anyone realises I'm gone, anyway.' He didn't press her for details, just sat in the console room with her and talked about the past. She loved hearing stories about Gallifrey. She could chat on and on about crap television shows from the 21st Century. He caught her one morning standing at the console, singing softly to herself. The TARDIS seemed to hum in time with her, as if the old girl was connected to this self-proclaimed assassin somehow.

He had to find out who she was. A search for Bella Williams told him nothing new. Interestingly, there was no record of her ever being born. No Bella Williams on any database. So she'd changed her name, which wasn't surprising for someone in her line of work. What intrigued him the most was how she seemed to zap in and out of his life. No time vortex manipulator in sight, and she obviously didn't have a TARDIS. How the hell did she do it? He decided to ask her one night over a game of Go Fish.

'How do you do that?' She looked up at him over her oversized glasses, green eyes sparkling. 'Any fours?'

'How do I do what? And no, go fish.' He picked up another card, watching her intently. 'Got any kings?' He huffed, handing her his king of hearts, and she smirked. 'Twos?'

'Go fish.' She poked her hand out of her jumper, grabbing a card from the deck. 'How do you get here?' Her eyebrow quirked, mouth twisting into a small smile. 'Aces?'

'Now if I told you that, I'd have to kill you.' She handed him the ace of spades, winking. 'But seriously, I can't tell you.'

'Why can't you tell me? I think I have a right to know, what with you bursting in here whenever you bloody feel like it. Queens?' She shook her head, reaching out for another biscuit and popping it in her mouth. 'Are you seriously not going to tell me?'

'Nope. Threes?' He shook his head back at her and she sighed, grabbing another card. 'Listen. If I could tell you, I would. But things have gotta happen in the right order, okay?'

'So you are from my future!' He looked triumphant, grinning at her wildly. She laughed, biting her lip and looking down. 'Who are you, Bella Williams?'

'Your turn, dude.' She rolled her eyes, fidgeting on the floor for the umpteenth time that night.

'Any fours yet?' He grinned as she handed him a card, freezing as he caught sight of the ink on her left wrist. 'Bella?'

'Yeah?' She recoiled her hand, pulling her sleeve down back over her wrists. 'What?'

'Show me your wrist.' She shook her head, putting her cards down and standing up. 'Bella!'

'Gotta run. Catcha later!' And with that she was gone. Which left him to wonder - why the  _hell_ did she have a tattoo in Old High Gallifreyan?

* * *

 'Oh wow, everything does change. You weren't kidding.' She smirked as she stood in the doorway, Rose hovering behind her.

'Sorry, Doctor. She wouldn't go without seeing you.' He sighed, scrubbing a hand over his face. His new face. Wait what did she say?

'What did you say?' Rose opened her mouth to speak and he shook his head. 'No, not you. Bella. What did you just say?'

'Everything does change? You weren't kidding? Oh wow?' He rolled his eyes - a habit he had picked up from her. 'Oh! You're wondering how I'm not freaking out.'

'Yup.' She had moved into the small bedroom, staring out the window with wide eyes. 'Why are you not freaking out?'

'Because I'm flawless?' He watched her for a moment, trying to figure out what she was thinking. Without warning, she spun around to face him, green eyes manic and an insane grin spreading across her face. 'You're freaking out because for once in your life something is a mystery to you, and you don't like it!'

'Maybe I like the mystery?' She shook her head, laughing as she came to sit next to him.

'You hate not knowing. You'll find out who I am eventually, don't worry.' She was right. He hated not knowing. Not knowing who she was drove him insane. She had details of his future. She  _knew him_. Regeneration didn't frighten her like it did Rose. Her tattoo, once he got another look at it, was definitely Gallifreyan. The whole disappearing and reappearing act was not human, at all. She was stronger than a normal human, too. He simply stared at her for a while, wondering to himself  _who the hell is Bella WIlliams?_

* * *

 She does her usual - shows up for late night tea and a chat. Doesn't get herself too involved, which he finds odd, seeing as she is normally so keen to set things on fire. He soon finds out why she has begun to pull away - when he loses Rose Tyler. Not that he blames Bella (well, not entirely). She fought hard, killed her fair share of Daleks and Cybermen - by hand, no less. She was late to the battle (wearing, of all things, what appeared to be a bridesmaids dress), waving him off as she tore at the fabric, freeing her legs so she could move. Unholstering a gun that had been strapped to her thigh, she immediately begins her assault, metal clanging to the ground lifeless within seconds. He shook his head, trying to rid himself of the memory. They sat on the floor of the console room, her dress completely ruined.

'Sorry.' He said quietly, motioning to the tattered material. She smiled sadly, staring at him over her mug of tea. 'Whose wedding, anyway? Anyone I know?' She chuckled, resting her head on his shoulder. Wrapping his arm around her, he pulled her close. For some reason, he felt...  _protective_ of her. Like he had to keep her safe. This small, fragile little thing who was scarily adept at discharging firearms. 'So that's a no?'

'You don't know her, no.' She took a sip of the warm liquid, letting it heat her from the inside out. 'My baby sister, actually.' He sighed, closing his eyes. 'It's okay, my family are very understanding.'

'That's not the point, Bella. You missed your own sisters wedding!' He tried to stand up but a small hand on his wrist stopped him.

'Nope. Not allowed to be mad. We were at the end of the reception, anyway. I'd done all my maid-of-honour duties.' She handed him her mug, motioning for him to take a sip. 'Tea makes everything better. My mum always tells me that.' He took a mouthful of the sweet tea into his mouth, sighing and agreeing with Bella's mother.

'Your mother is a smart woman.' Bella choked, stifling a laugh. 'What?'

'Oh god, no it's fine. Just... Funny, is all.' He shrugged, handing her the mug. 'You'll get it, one day.' She stands up, stretching almost violently. He notices a small hole in her shoulder, blood trickling from it, and jumps to his feet, grabbing her arms and inspecting it. 'What?'

'You've bloody been shot!' He's frantic, trying to find  _any_ medical supplies. 'How the hell did you not know you'd been shot?!'

'Oh, damn.' She tuts, rolling her shoulders slightly to stretch them out again. 'Better run then. Should get this cleaned up.' He froze, staring at her. 'You know, bullet removal, disinfecting the wound. Although that last part is kind of pointless.'

'What?' She laughed, placing her now empty mug on the console and winking.

'Laters!' And she was gone again. And he was alone.

* * *

It isn't until he goes to the Library with Donna that he is  _certain_ that she is from his future. That, and the fact that she can't  _possibly_ be human. 'What the hell are you doing?!' He screamed at her as she stormed off in the direction of the shadows. The same shadows where the Vashta Nerada were waiting for their next meal. Stopping right at the edge, she spun around on her heel and glared at him.

'This lot don't seem to understand that the shadow bugs or whatever can kill. So I'm going to do a demo.' Sticking her arm out, he watched in horror as the shadows moved in, devouring her flesh. She didn't even blink, merely stared at him, green eyes boring into his soul.

'You've made your point! Stop it!' He turned around and saw Professor Song - River? Odd name - panicking, making a move towards the idiot currently getting eaten alive. 'Bella! Stop this right now!'

'Oh for gods sake, you've seen me do worse.' Bella huffed, pulling her now skeletal arm back into her chest and shuffling back to the group. 'See?' Holding her arm out, she showed the expedition her now bare bones - all flesh completely removed. 'They will strip you. Do. Not. Go. Into. The. Shadows. Comprende?'

'Bella...' He started, touching the cold bones gingerly. She pulled her arm back, rolling her eyes at him. 'What the hell did you do?'

'I proved your point.' Donna was staring at Bella, in a simultaneous state of shock and absolute wonder. 'Donna, be a doll and hand me my bag? 'fraid I don't have the muscles. Ha! Get it?' She wiggled her skeletal fingers, winking at them.

'Now is not the time to be making jokes!' He grabbed the bag off Donna, who was still staring at Bella's bare arm. 'What the hell could you possibly need in here?' She took out her phone and snapped a picture, laughing to herself. 'What?!'

'What as in what am I doing? Or what as in what am I laughing about?' Suddenly a soft glow surrounded her arm, and within seconds her arm was back to its usual, flesh covered state. 'That.' The room fell silent. 'What?'

'How... How did you do that?' He breathed, inspecting the fully healed limb. She rolled her eyes, pulling away and walking into the centre of the room. He understood then that she wouldn't discuss it with him further - that obviously, he wasn't allowed to know the 'how' just yet. His suspicions were further proven when River sacrificed herself to save him, Bella watching on completely unfazed.

'You'll be okay.' Bella whispered to the professor, stroking her curls back and smiling gently. 'I promise.'

'I know. You're here, so I must be okay right?' River choked out a laugh, looking back at The Doctor, handcuffed and helpless. 'She's here. Everything's okay. You protect her with your life, understood? Don't you dare let anything happen to her.'

'He won't. See you soon.' She pressed a kiss to the other woman's temple, before stepping back and biting her lip. 'See you real soon.' In a flash, River was dead, her body slumping forwards, Bella staring blankly at her lifeless form.

'You just... You sat and watched her die!' He yelled, straining against the cuffs. She turned to him, scrubbing tears away from her eyes. 'Bella?'

'It's not the end for you. Like she said, you've got all of that ahead of you.' Crouching next to him, she pulled the key from her pocket, unlocking the cuffs and freeing him. 'Remember.' She kissed his cheek softly, before turning around and disappearing before his eyes.

_Remember what?_

* * *

 

She was with him when he lost Donna. Well, not  _there_ , but waiting patiently in the TARDIS, cup of tea ready for him. Wordlessly, she hands it to him, before moving to the console and piloting the TARDIS away. He says nothing, simply sits down and watches her - the way she seems to be one with the old girl. After a few minutes of silence, she sits in front of him, staring up with those ridiculously green eyes.

'What?' He mumbled, staring into his now empty mug. She sighs, leaning back on her arms and biting her lip. 'I'm not in the mood, Bella.'

'I know. But I know I have to be here, right now. Not sure if it's just because you need company - seriously you're rubbish when you're left alone for too long - or if it's because I need reassuring. But I'm here.' He raised an eyebrow, leaning forward to watch her through narrowed eyes.

'What do you need reassuring about?' She shrugged, her fingernails suddenly interesting. 'Bella Williams...'

'Just... I don't know, okay? Sometimes I wonder... Why me? Why am I the one with all the powers, you know?' Confusion was apparently written plainly on his face, so she explained. 'I have a little sister - you know that, though. I've also got a little brother. I'm the only one who can do...' She waved her hands around for a moment. 'All of this. And all of this..' She waved her hands between the two of them. 'Has to happen. It's already happened. It has to happen, otherwise there'll be some kind of space-time collapse. It's just... A lot to handle sometimes. Hard to keep a guy interested when I'm always popping off to save some idiot in a blue box. Hard to keep friends, because I always have to bail on things. Thank god I've got the diaries to go on.'

'Diaries?' This piqued his interest - didn't River Song have a diary? 'What diaries?'

'Just... Diaries, okay? Listen. Don't travel alone for too long. You get grumpy. You get dark. I hate when you're all dark and grumpy.' She stood up, taking the mug from his hands and placing it on the console. 'Promise me you'll go and visit Donna's granddad again, yeah?' He nodded - he wouldn't promise, but he would try. 'I've gotta run. Mum's taking me to the theatre tonight. Dad won't come - something about Shakespeare being ruined forever. I don't know.' She smirked, popping out of the TARDIS in a flash of light.

'You will be the death of me, Bella Williams.'


	2. Feels Like We Only Go Backwards

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ‘I’m nobody’s taxi service!’ Huffing, he stormed towards her, making sure she knew he was serious. ‘I’m not going to be there to catch you every time you feel like jumping out of a space ship!’
> 
> ‘And you are so wrong.’ River smirked over her shoulder, winking at his Pond as she did. He sighed loudly, rolling his eyes and looking around the empty beach. Apparently not so empty, as he spotted the small figure standing with her back to them, hair blowing in the wind. ‘Who’s that? You didn’t have anyone else on board, did you sweetie?’ He shook his head, squeezing his eyes shut as he realised who it was - the only person in the universe that it could possibly be.

‘I’m nobody’s taxi service!’ Huffing, he stormed towards her, making sure she knew he was serious. ‘I’m not going to be there to catch you every time you feel like jumping out of a space ship!’

‘And you are so wrong.’ River smirked over her shoulder, winking at his Pond as she did. He sighed loudly, rolling his eyes and looking around the empty beach. Apparently not so empty, as he spotted the small figure standing with her back to them, hair blowing in the wind. ‘Who’s that? You didn’t have anyone else on board, did you sweetie?’ He shook his head, squeezing his eyes shut as he realised who it was - the only person in the universe that it could _possibly_ be. Walking up to her silently, he stood just on the shoreline, waves crashing gently just before his feet. She was peaceful - something he had never seen in her - her shoes hanging from her fingertips, water up to her knees, shoulders slumped yet somehow conveying a strength that only Bella could exude.

‘Aren’t you going to ask me why I’m here?’ She asks him finally, still not turning to face him. ‘I’ve always loved being in the water. My dad always told me when I was little that I was supposed to be a mermaid. I believed him until I was about 12. We’d spend hours down at the beach, sometimes just watching the waves crash. Mum made sure we had a house with a pool so I was always close to water. I just feel at peace, you know?’

‘So you’re here for the ocean, then? Odd planet to choose, Bells.’ He smiles softly at her, her head tilting slightly at his words. ‘Why are you here?’

‘I have no idea. I woke up and just… I don’t know.’ She turned around to face him, tears shining in her bright green eyes, making them look much larger that usual. ‘I had a feeling I had to be here.’ Walking slowly towards him, he held out his hand to her, taking her smaller one in his and squeezing gently.

‘It’s okay. Do you want to go hang around in the TARDIS for a while?’ He studied her for a moment, trying to catch her gaze. ‘Bella?’

‘No. I’m okay.’ Looking over at River and Amy, she smiled softly. ‘My two favourite girls. I’m good.’ He quirked his non-existent eyebrow at her, and she brightened slightly. ‘Seriously, I’m fine!’ Wandering towards the other women, she spun around, walking backwards and yelling at him. ‘Come along, then!’

* * *

‘Angels.’ Bella whispered, staring at the footage on the screen. ‘I’ve never actually seen one. Creepy.’ River rested her hand on the younger woman’s shoulder, squeezing softly.

‘Okay there?’ She nodded, flashing the archaeologist a bright smile. ‘There’s one, in the bowels of the ship. Part of a collection, apparently.’ Bella snorted loudly, covering her mouth as she did. ‘Something you want to share with the class?’

‘Oh no. I’m good, just… Who would want one of these in their collection?’ Her fingers brushed across the image, narrowing her eyes slightly. ‘Any books on the matter?’

‘Just one. A fresh pair of eyes could definitely help, though.’ River motioned for Bella to follow her, the two women hopping out of the room, both determined in their movements. ‘Sweetie?’

‘She means you.’ Amy smirked, The Doctor still staring at the image on the screen. He shook himself off, huffing before he stalked off behind the two infuriating women in his life. ‘Have fun, grumpy face!’

‘I am not grumpy face!’ He called back as he approached the table where River had set up her research, Bella sitting atop it with her legs crossed, books cluttered on her lap. She looked up, glasses perched on her nose, squinting her eyes at him.

‘You totally have your grumpy face on, eh River?’ River glanced at him, snorting softly and nodding. ‘So have you two met yet?’ The pair gasped, clutching their chests in horror. ‘What?’

‘Spoilers!’ They cried in unison, before locking eyes and bursting into a fit of laughter.

‘What have I missed?’ He whined, hating the fact that these two were so obviously from his future. River calmed down, resting her hand over his and squeezing ever-so softly. He looked down at their hands, and she pulled away as if she had been burnt.

‘Yes, we’ve met. We go way back, don’t we darling?’ River smiled, Bella nodding wildly. ‘Start keeping a diary, sweetie. You’ll need it.’ He sighed, agreeing with her silently. She was right - if they were going to keep meeting in the wrong order, he had to know what was safe to mention around her. At least with Bella, they were meeting in a linear pattern. There was no chance of spoilers with her - she was far too secretive to ever let anything slip to him. He could fill a novel with the anecdotal things he knew about her - obsessed with painting her nails bright colours, had two cats, fan of wine, just to name a few. He had frequently compared her to a butterfly, of all things, because of her penchant for chaos. He smiled as he recalled explaining it to Donna - 'a butterfly flaps its wings in the rainforest, and causes a tsunami thousands of miles away'. Bella was just that - she could flap her wings, and cause a tsunami on another bloody planet. 'Penny for your thoughts, sweetie?' He shook his head, going back to the papers in front of him. River simply smirked at Bella, the younger woman rolling her eyes and tutting softly.

God, he hated them.

* * *

 

'So I'm not blind? And the angel isn't still, y'know... in my head?' Amy asked, eyes still squeezed shut. Bella laughed, patting the young Scot on the cheek.

'All safe, Pond. You can open your eyes, alright?' Cautiously, Amy opened her eyes, smiling when she realised it was safe. 'See? Wouldn't lie to you, I swear.' Dramatically placing her hand over her heart, Bella leapt to her feet, other hand stuck to her hip. 'I, Bella Williams, hereby swear to never lie to Amelia Pond.' Amy laughed brightly, doubling over at Bella's insanity. 'There, it's official.'

'Seeing as it's official... How do you know Doctor Song?' Turning to the freezer, Bella pulled out a tub of ice cream, plonking it on the table and handing Amy a spoon. The TARDIS kitchen was only this well stocked if Bella had been hanging around, insisting on having 'comfort food' close at hand, which usually meant an obscene amount of ice cream and pop tarts. 'Come on, Bells!'

'Well...' Taking a mouthful of ice cream, she sat thoughtfully for a moment. 'River and I go way back. Like, way, way back. We've met a few different ways, actually. Once when she was the older one, once when I was the older one. We keep arguing over which was the better intro.' Amy snorted, picturing the fight between the two feisty women. 'It's hard being a time-traveller. Everything happens out of order.'

'Except for you and The Doctor. He said that you always meet in the right order. He said that!' Bella raised her perfectly shaped eyebrow, tapping her spoon against the table before taking another scoop. 'What? Why would he outwardly lie about that?'

'He's not lying, Amy.' Sighing, she took a mouthful of the frozen confection, staring at the spoon thoughtfully. 'What I mean is, he doesn't realise that he couldn't be further from the truth. There's so much he doesn't know about me. About anyone, really. He's so wound up in the adventure, he doesn't really stop to see what's right in front of him. The truth is so obvious, but he refuses to see it. Or refuses to admit it. It's probably the second one, to be honest.' Smiling sadly at Amy, she set her spoon down, resting her head on her folded arms. 'I've never lied to him. Only ever given him the truth. I know he figures it out eventually. I know I'm not allowed to outwardly tell him. I just have to sit and wait.'

'Wait for what? For him to figure out who you are to him?' Amy watched as Bella nodded into the table, her hair cascading over her arms. 'He's a smart cookie. He'll figure it out eventually.' A loud sigh came from the pile of blonde locks across from her, almost like a whine. 'What?'

'He's not as smart as you think he is, Amy. Not even in the slightest. Book smarts, sure. Everything else? Not a bloody clue.' Banging her head lightly, she sighed again. 'Not a bloody clue.'

* * *

 

'You heading off so soon?' He looked up from the console as she wandered back from the kitchen, carrying her heels in her hand, swinging them back and forth. She simply nodded, pulling her hair up off her face and tying it back in a loose knot. 'When can we expect the pleasure of your company again, Miss Williams?' She shrugged, biting her lip nervously. 'Alright, what's wrong?'

'I need to know when you know.' Was all she said, and with a flash she was gone.

What in the name of all sanity did that mean?!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I haven't updated this as quickly as I was hoping to! Have had a stack of assignments, house stuff getting in the way, stupid endo/PCOS being a bitch, and etc... So to sum up - I AM SO SORRY! Hopefully this has been worth the wait, though!!


	3. Don't Go Crying To Your Mumma

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 'You look lovely this evening, Doctor Song.' River spun around, coming face to face with Bella, who was sitting cross-legged on a park bench, picking petals off a flower in her hands. 'Surprised I still know who you are?'
> 
> 'You shouldn't exist.' River said quietly, relieved nonetheless that the small woman was alive and well before her. 'He's gone.'

'She's stuck in an infinite loop. The TARDIS is keeping her alive.' The Doctor closed his eyes.  _I'm so sorry, River... You're dying all over again and it's all my fault._ Next to him, Bella had her ear pressed against the satellite, frowning. 'What?'

'There's a glitch in the loop. If you hit it at the right time, you can get to her.' She tapped out a rhythm, pointing out where the loop restarted. 'Time it right, you can get to her. You'll need this.' Digging around in her pockets, she pulled out the vortex manipulator.

'How...' He started, but she just smirked. 'Did you pickpocket me again?!'

'First of all, that was one bloody time so shut up. And second of all, get up there and bring her back!' He was gone in a flash of electricity and dust, leaving Bella, Amy and Rory standing on the rooftop, staring up at the exploding TARDIS. 'He'll save her. He always does.'

'Who are you?' Amy asked her again, knowing she wouldn't get a straight answer - she never does. 'I mean, I know you're Bella. I know you're good at killing stuff, and you're weirdly adorable, but who are you to him?'

'You'll find out soon enough, Amy.' Bella whispered softly, gripping onto the satellite, listening for any evidence that the pair at the centre of the explosion were safe. 'And when you do...' Inhaling deeply and squeezing her eyes shut, she paused for a moment, before shaking herself off and plastering a bright smile across her face. 'Just, you'll find out soon.' Bright light blinded the trio - River and The Doctor standing in front of them, River gripping tightly to his arm as if it was her only anchor to reality. 'Told you so.' She winked at Amy, wandering over to the pair who had just rejoined them and hugging them tightly. 'Now, can we go save the universe? I quite liked the old one...'

* * *

 

'What happened to the Dalek?'

'It died.' River spat, holstering her gun and wandering down the hall, Bella scurrying after her. 'Stop bloody following me!' A small hand on her shoulder stopped her in her tracks, blood staining her white top. 'You're bleeding.'

'I'll live.' Bella winked, turning as she heard movement behind them. 'I've got this one - you lot go and find The Doctor.' Pulling a long blade from the sheath attached to her back, she looked over her shoulder. 'Go! It's a distraction - you need to get back to the Pandorica!' River nodded, understanding what Bella was trying to tell her. Grabbing Amy's hand - Rory following close behind - the trio left Bella to face whatever may be after them, the shining metal glistening in the light before her. 'Come out, and I maybe won't kill you.' 

_Silence will fall_. She felt the words run down her spine - she didn't hear them. Couldn't have.  _Silence will fall_. She saw it - the creature in the suit, standing before her, it's tiny eyes boring a hole in her very being.  _You are the child, the saviour of worlds._ It didn't speak, rather it projected its voice into her mind.  _You must be stopped. You will be stopped._

'Stopped by you?' She smirked, deciding to keep her fear locked away. 'I'd really like to see you try.' It stepped towards her, its hands reaching forward. 'What are you?'

_Silence will fall. You will be stopped, Bella Song. Child of the stars._ It went behind a wall and - what? She shook herself off, looking around for a moment and shrugging.  _That was weird_... There was a loud bang, and she smiled - universal reset in 3...2...1...

* * *

 

'You look lovely this evening, Doctor Song.' River spun around, coming face to face with Bella, who was sitting cross-legged on a park bench, picking petals off a flower in her hands. 'Surprised I still know who you are?'

'You shouldn't exist.' River said quietly, relieved nonetheless that the small woman was alive and well before her. 'He's gone.'

'He's never gone. You and I both know that.' Patting the empty space next to her, Bella handed River a flower and the pair set about picking the petals off together. 'So we've both still got the necklace on, then.' Bella motioned to the small silver arrow around River's neck - an identical one on an equally delicate silver chain around Bella's. 'Will I just...  _know_ when to give it to you?' River smiled softly, squeezing Bella's hand gently.

'Yes, sweetheart. You will. And you are brilliant, okay?' Looking down at their entwined fingers, River sighed. 'You're what keeps me going, sometimes.' Bella quirked an eyebrow, braiding a few flowers together and fashioning a crown. 'When I'm in my cell, and I wonder if it'll ever get better. I know it has to, because you're here. You're okay, and I mean... Did I do a good job, raising you?' Bella smiled, resting her head against River's shoulder and placing the crown atop her unruly curls. 'Before you say it, spoilers, I know...'

'You did an amazing job. I have the best mum in the entire world. You're always there when I need you - whether it's when I get home, and I mean  _home_ home, or whether it's when we're out adventuring with The Doctor and Grandma and Granddad. You're just... You're amazing as a mum, okay?' River smiled weakly, pressing a soft kiss to her daughter's temple. 'And you're right. It'll all be okay. It gets better. I mean, it'll get worse for a while, but then it gets way better. Pinky promise.'

'Pinky promise.' River repeated, locking her pinky with Bella's, kissing their interlocked fingers gently. 'Do you think that he's back yet?' River looked over at the reception hall, hope shining in her eyes. 'I need my diary back.' Bella snorted, snuggling closer to River's side. 'You okay, sweetheart?' She nodded simply, tucking her feet up under herself and closing her eyes. 'I know that look...'

'It's not a look, it's just... Neither of you will tell me when he finds out.' She huffed, worrying her lip between her teeth - an unfortunate habit she picked up from River. 'Will I know?' It was River's turn to snort - her fingers running gently through Bella's soft curls. Definitely not as wild as her own, but still there (when she didn't straighten them out, which frustrated River to no end).

'You'll know. Just like with the necklace, sweetheart.' Hearing the fumbling of keys against TARDIS, she sighed sadly. ''fraid that's my queue to leave.' Bella sat up, pouting slightly. 'I'll be waiting at home, darling. Well, not  _me_ , but me. You know what I mean.' Standing, she kissed Bella's forehead lovingly, brushing her hair away from her face. 'Be good, sweetheart.' Hugging her mother tightly before pulling away reluctantly, Bella grinned. 'What?'

'Nothing. You're just so cute when you're this young. Still messing with him.' The pair laughed in unison, looking over to where they knew the TARDIS was parked. 'Better go confuse him with your very liberal use of the word 'yes'.'

'What?' River quirked her eyebrow - another thing she passed to her daughter. 'Never mind, I'll know in a minute.' Bella smiled softly, giving a small wave before disappearing into the night. Smoothing out her dress, River made her way down the path towards her husband - remembering halfway that she still had the flower crown atop her head. Tucking it into her coat pocket, she smiled.  _I'll have to remember her penchant for pretty things..._ _  
_

* * *

 

She woke up screaming.  _Silence will fall._ That's all she could hear, running through her mind.  _Silence will fall. You will be stopped, Bella Song..._ Wandering down the hall into her parents bedroom, she shuffled in quietly, crawling between them and snuggling into the covers. They both wrapped an arm around their shivering daughter, her head resting against her father's chest - the steady beat of his dual hearts calming her down enough to fall into a sleep not plagued by nightmares.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So apologies for the delay! I've been quite sick (and if you follow me on tumblr you are WELL aware of this and I totally apologise for all the whining in the last 2+ weeks), but I'm finally feeling okay enough to post this! Hopefully it's enough to make up for how long this took! It took me a while to figure out the relative timelines (but thanks to the powers of Google I think I got it *fairly* accurate - feel free to correct me if I'm wrong!) Thank you for all the kudos and comments on the last couple of chapters :) Next update will be in the next couple of days!


	4. I could really use a wish right now

'Starting the party without me? Rude, don't you think?' The group looked up from the picnic blanket and saw her standing, bare toes wiggling in the sand, her shoes dangling by her fingertips - something The Doctor had noticed seemed to occur whenever water was involved. 'I was invited, before anyone gets their knickers in a twist over it.' Waving the blue envelope around, she sauntered forwards, plonking herself down on the rug between Amy and River, huge sunglasses hiding her eyes from view. 'What?'

'Nothing... Just not like you to make a quiet-ish entrance.' The Doctor mumbled, handing her a glass of wine. She took a tentative sip, humming quietly as she leant back on her arms. 'I didn't think you'd show, to be honest.' She clutched her hand to her chest, gasping in mock horror.

'I  _always_ turn up when I'm needed. Frankly I'm a little offended that you'd think otherwise.' Leaning over and picking up a handful of grapes, she settled back down, nibbling them thoughtfully. 'Why're we at a lake, anyway?' She noticed his gaze was not on her, but rather on something behind her. Turning around, she saw the astronaut walking slowly towards them, rising from the depths of the water. 'What the shit is that?'

'Whatever happens now, do not interfere. Understood?' He was standing now, talking in particular to River and Bella - both of whom he assumed were armed. The foursome watched him walk over to the mysterious figure, converse for a moment, before a crack of green light hit him square in the chest. Amy screamed, lurching forward to get to him, Rory and River both holding her back. Bella, however, stood stoic, watching the scene unfold before her.  _He doesn't die here,_  she reminded herself, squeezing her eyes shut and waiting for it to be over. Another flash, and he was motionless on the shoreline, the astronaut retreating into the lake and disappearing beneath the surface, River firing bullets at its back, before falling beside her lifeless husband. Amy was bent over him, sobbing into his chest, begging him to come back.

'It's not him. It can't be him.' She kept whispering, rocking back and forth, trying to cling onto whatever hope she had left. Bella crouched next to her, wrapping a small arm around her shoulder and pulling her into her chest in a futile attempt to comfort her. 'It's not him...'

'Oh, that's definitely The Doctor, alright.' They were shaken from their silent grief, all turning to look at the newcomer. He held up an envelope - exactly the same as the ones they had been sent - a petrol can in his hand. 'Said you'd need this.' Someone - possibly Rory, no-one was really paying attention - enquired as to his identity. 'Canton Everett Delaware the third.'

'We have to destroy his body.' River said softly, realisation dawning on her. 'A Time Lord's body is a miracle. The universe could be torn apart by people wanting to get their hands on a single cell.' Within minutes, Rory and Bella had placed his body on a small boat, emptied the petrol can, and pushed him into the water. Before letting go of the wooden structure, Bella pulled a pack of matches from her pocket, striking one and tossing it onto his chest. The small group watched silently as the flames consumed him, Bella gripping tightly onto River's hand. 'Are you alright?' It was barely a whisper, but she understood - River knew who she was. Even this young, she still knew. Bella gave a curt nod, eyes still fixed on the fire.

What felt like hours - but what was probably more like minutes - passed, and the small group headed back to the car, silence still thick in the air. Canton turned to them, smiling sadly. 'Doctor Song. Amy, Rory.' He stopped when he looked at Bella, chuckling slightly. 'And Bella, of course. I won't be seeing you again, but you'll be seeing me.' He got into his pick-up and drove away, leaving them alone once more.

'I uh... I'll drive.' Bella offered, taking the keys from Rory and sliding into the drivers seat. 'We need alcohol.'

* * *

 

'None of it matters...' Amy whispered, staring blankly ahead. River huffed slightly, turning on her heel and beginning to pace again, muttering about 'it matters because it mattered to him'. Bella placed a drink in front of Amy, smiling weakly and squeezing her hand. 'He's dead and none of it matters anymore.'

'River's right. It matters, because it mattered to him. We're his friends. We carry on, even when he can't.' Rory offered, pressing a kiss to the top of his wife's head. 'We have to find out who killed him.' A flash of blue caught his eye on the table next to them. Wandering over slowly, he picked up the envelope, frowning as he realised what it was. 'River... What number was on your envelope?'

'2. You've got 3. Bella's got 4, and Canton had 5.' She said cautiously, taking the envelope from Rory and staring at it. '1. Who does he trust more than anyone else in the universe?'

'You.' Bella offered, swinging on one of the bar stools. 'He trusts you more than anyone.' River snorted, rolling her eyes. 'But, I mean... Besides you? He trusts himself.' As if on queue, the bathroom door swung open, the previously deceased Doctor wandering out, grinning at his friends. 'See?'

'Why is everyone staring at me like that?' He asked, looking at each of them for a moment, before grinning wildly. 'Rory! Rory the Roman! And my Amelia Pond!' He hugged them both tightly, before turning to River. 'Hello, Doctor Song.' Winking at her, he went to speak before he felt the palm of her hand connecting with his cheek. 'Ow! I'm assuming that that's for something I haven't done yet?'

'Yes... It is...' She managed, tears shining in her eyes. 'This is low... Even for you.' His eyes softened as he looked at the woman he was certain would one day be his wife, his hearts aching slightly in his chest. Shaking it off, he turned to Bella, who was grinning from her spot at the bar. Opening his mouth to speak, he was cut off by River. 'Amy... Ask him how old he is.'

'What? He's 1103.' He shook his head wildly, offended. 'You're 1103! You told us on the beach!'

'What beach? I'm not 1103. I'm 906, for your information.' The group all looked at one another, River closing her eyes and inhaling deeply, steadying herself. 'What's going on?'

'Have we done Jim the Fish?' He stared blankly, and her heart sank. 'Okay. Okay... No, that's fine.'

'Why are we all here, and who invited us? Because I'm guessing you all got invitations too?' They nodded, Bella shooting a look that said 'keep quiet' to the others. 'Right, in the TARDIS. All four of you.' They trudged into the bathroom, the TARDIS humming happily when they walked through the doors. The Doctor stood at the console, chattering on about 1969 and mysteries, the rest disappearing downstairs.

'He can't know.' River whispered, sadness clear in her voice. 'He can't ever know. He's crossing his own timeline in a major way.'

'He'll figure it out! He always does, River.' Bella muttered, sitting in the swing and leaning back. 'But you're right. We have to keep this between us.'

'So you're both okay with this? Just... He's dead. Our Doctor is dead, and you're okay with that?' Amy tried not to yell, her voice straining. 'How can you be okay with that?'

'The Doctor's death doesn't frighten me. Nor does my own.' River sighed, squeezing Amy's hand gently. 'There is a much worse day coming for me.' She gave a weak smile, blinking back tears. 'Can we all just focus on the matter at hand?'

'Excuse me! I'm being very clever up here and there's no-one to watch. Why do I bother keeping you lot around?' The Doctor hung upside down, staring at them all with suspicion. 'What're you lot talking about?'

'Nothing, sweetie. Now, 1969?' River said far too cheerfully, walking back upstairs and leaning against the console.

* * *

 

'These are my associates - the legs, the nose, and Mrs Robinson.'

'God, I hate you.' River groaned, glaring at him and trying to ignore the guns trained on her. The Doctor winked, smiling brightly at her. The doors to the office swung open, Bella walking in, grinning at the armed agents.

'Evening, boys. Now, is this the way we treat guests?' She suddenly had an American accent, her eyes sparkling. 'Oh, Nixon? Should've paid more attention in history class. I knew 1969 was important.'

'Sorry, but who are you?' The President finally spoke up, staring at this new woman in the room. 'You're not one of my agents.'

'Oh but I am.' Pulling something out of her pocket, she flashed it.  _False credentials_ , The Doctor thought, suddenly proud of his insane... what was she to him? Stalker? Friend? 'Agent Lauren Carter. This lot are with me, and I would appreciate you putting the guns away.' An agent pulled a gun on her, Bella's hands far too quick as she knocked it out of his grasp and turned it on him. 'Wanna try that again, sunshine?'

'No, ma'am.' He stammered, fear in his voice. Bella grinned, wandering around the room, guns now all pointed at her.

'I really wouldn't. Who wants to be known as the guy who kills a sweet, innocent little agent, huh?' Walking over to the table where The Doctor stood, she leant against it, looking up into his eyes. 'Now, what do you need, Doctor?' He rattled off his - frankly ridiculous - list of demands, the only person in the room who seemed to be impressed being the younger Canton. 'Did you like what I did there?' She whispered to the Time Lord, placing her gun on the table in front of him.

'Very impressive. Do you just carry fake FBI credentials around?' He asked, looking at the identification. It was, admittedly, a very good fake. She grinned, digging around in her pocket and producing a large stack of false ID's. 'Why would you possibly need this many false identities?'

'I get bored. I've got a weird knack for making them, and you never know when you need to break into the White House, right?' He rolled his eyes, laughing slightly. 'What?'

'Nothing... You just remind me of someone, that's all.' She quirked an eyebrow, his quick glance at River not going unnoticed. After several hours (or at least what felt like hours) of pouring over maps, The Doctor finally stood up, motioning for them to get back in the blue box. Looking at Bella for a moment, he grabbed her wrist and dragged her off to the side. 'Something's wrong with you today. I don't know what it is, but I need you at full... You levels, alright? I'm not sure what's going on - but there's a scared little girl who needs our help.' She nodded slowly, following him into the TARDIS and sitting on the floor, eyeing Canton with amusement.

'It's bigger on the inside...' He breathed, staring at the five people who were acting like everything he was seeing was completely normal. 'How long has Scotland Yard had this?' He looked to Bella for an answer. 'Agent Carter?'

'He means you, idiot.' Rory sighed, nudging Bella when she glanced around the room for the mystery agent. 'Any idea where he's dragging us?'

'Contrary to popular belief, I don't know his every move or thought.' She grumbled, wandering over to River and resting a hand on her arm. 'Can I ask you something?' River gave a short nod, eyeing the younger girl with interest. 'Do you know who I am yet?' River closed her eyes, taking a deep breath and leading Bella downstairs. 'Simple yes or no would suffice.'

'You're my daughter. With that giant idiot upstairs.' Bella's face fell, hope fading from her eyes. 'What? Darling, I know who you are, and I love you no matter what, alright?'

'But he still doesn't know who I am...' River sighed, pulling her daughter into a gentle hug. 'He thinks I'm just this crazy person who follows him around, which is sort of true anyway.'

'You're our crazy person, Bells.' Glancing up at the console room for a moment, she worried her lower lip between her teeth, before looking back at Bella. 'He finds out soon. I know because our timelines run back to front. I always know who you are. Just like you always know who I am.'

'Timey-wimey bullshit...' Bella huffed, earning a soft snort from her mother. 'What?'

'I've heard the phrase 'timey-wimey' a million times, but never paired with 'bullshit'. Best of both of us, huh?'

'You could say that...' Giving her hand one last gentle squeeze, River lead them back upstairs, the old girl parked in an old warehouse. 'Well, this isn't what I was expecting.'

'What did you want, Miami?' The Doctor glared at her, slightly concerned for her current state of mind.

'It would have been nice, yes.' She winked, elbowing him softly in the side. 'Next time, yeah?'

'If we get out of this alive, I'll take you wherever you want. Deal?'

'Deal.' They grinned at each other, both suspicious of their situation - he wanted to know why they had been some what summoned; she wanting to know when her best kept secret came out.

Neither would have to wait long.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Seeing as I'm spending my morning sitting in a hospital waiting room, I figured I might as well finish updating this - thank god for iPads, right? Anyway, sorry for the delay, and thank you for all the comments and kudos! They are much appreciated!!!
> 
> Enjoy! x


	5. Are We Human?

'Are you okay?' River quirked her eyebrow, stepping out of the shower and wrapping a towel firmly around her body. 'I mean... you jumped off a building.'

'And you were there to catch me when I did. Like you always do.' He sighed, wiping the excess shaving cream off his face and resting his head in his hands. 'Sweetie, what's wrong?' Looking up at her, he gave a weak smile - one that didn't quite reach his eyes. 'Talk to me...' Her hand rested on his cleanly shaven face, thumb stroking his jawline lightly.

'Something just feels... off. Like I'm forgetting something important.' He sighed, looking into her eyes. 'Something about Bella.' She pressed her lips gently to the corner of his mouth, lingering for a moment. His arms wrapped around her, pulling her close and holding tight. 'Whatever happens, promise me you won't hang around just because you think you have to. This is dangerous, and I don't... I can't lose you.'

'You won't lose me, sweetie.' She whispered, their faces pressed against one another. 'I'm afraid you're quite stuck with me.' Letting out a small chuckle, he kissed her temple before letting her go. 'I'll go get dressed. You head upstairs and make sure the children haven't destroyed anything.' He saluted her, grinning brightly. 'Idiot.'

'But I'm  _your_ idiot.' Her laugh warmed his heart - seeing her happy, which was a rarity, made him feel... safe.

Loved.

* * *

_The Child will be stopped._  The Doctor looked over at Bella, who was circling the hologram as if it were prey.  _You will be stopped._

'Will I? You keep telling me that, but I'm still here. So either I'm unstoppable or you're shit at your job.' She quipped, turning to face the group. 'If this is a hologram, how come it's talking to me?'

'What does it mean?' Rory asked from his position behind Amy, his hand gripping hers tightly. 'I mean, it keeps looking at you like it wants you... dead.'

'It does want me dead. They all want me dead.' Her voice was low, almost predatory, as she turned back to the Silence before her. 'Don't you?' The hologram disappeared, and she shook herself off. 'Ugh I feel sick. Can we stop doing this?' The darkness in her voice was gone - back to it's usual, bubbly tone.

'Not until we figure out how to fight these things.' The Doctor muttered, suddenly sandwiching her face between his hands and staring into her eyes. 'Until I figure out why they want you - specifically you - dead.'

'We only know that because I managed to leave myself notes and voicemails over the years...' Wriggling free of his grasp, she sidled up to River, seeking comfort wherever she could get it. River gently squeezed her hand, giving her a weak, yet reassuring smile. 'They keep calling me 'The Child'. Why do they keep doing that?'

'I don't know, darling. But we're going to find out.' River said quietly, glaring at The Doctor. 'Aren't we?' She almost spat the sentence out, her eyes burning with anger. 'Aren't we?!'

'Yes, River! We are going to bloody figure this out!' The anger in his voice silenced the entire room - River letting go of her daughter's hand and stepping up to him, her hand coming to rest on his shoulder.

'Calm down.' Her tone was soft. Calming. 'Better?' He nodded, refusing to look at her. Sighing, she dropped her hand, turning back to the others. 'How are we supposed to fight something we can't remember?' The Doctor switched the hologram back on, The Silence hissing menacingly at them. Bella immediately began circling it again, her eyes narrowed. 'You're like a bloody cat, you are.'

'I want it to die.' She spat, tilting her head as she stared into it's lifeless eyes. 'The real it. Not the one here, because you're not real, are you?'

_You will be stopped, Child._ Rolling her eyes, she wandered back over to the console.  _You must be stopped before you can fulfil your destiny_.

'Again, you keep saying that...' She sighed, turning off the hologram and resting her head in her hands. 'And I keep living...'

* * *

 

'Did you just carve your name into the wall?' Canton asked incredulously, staring at Bella who was sitting on the floor, twirling a knife around in her hand. 'Seriously?'

'Yep. Got a problem with that?' He shrugged, picking up a file and flicking through it. 'I also carved some very choice swears into the wall. Oh! When we get back on the TARDIS, go check out the library. Carved shit into every single chair. If you're good with anagrams, it's definitely a good time.' An ear-piercing scream shook them from their banter - Bella taking off upstairs to find the source. Flinging open one of the doors, she found Amy backed against the far wall, tally marks all over her face and hands, the light in her palm flashing furiously. 'Shit...' Looking up, she saw the creatures staring down at her.

_The Child... Kill the Child..._ 'Alright then! I'm right here, so do your worst!' Throwing all of her weapons to the ground - blades hitting the metal bed frames with a sickening clang - she held her arms out, grinning up at the Silence maniacally. 'Defenceless little Bella! Free shot, and this time I can't kill any of you!' Amy was still screaming behind her, Canton standing in the doorway with his gun drawn.

'Move, Bella!' He yelled, taking aim at the ceiling. Bella shook her head, still staring up at the creatures. 'What the hell are you doing? They'll kill you!'

'They won't kill me. They want me for something, don't you!?' Reaching back and grabbing Amy's hand, she lurched forward, dragging the other woman from the room. As soon as they cleared the doorway, Amy's screams stopped. 'You okay, Pond?'

'I uh... Yeah.' Noticing the marks on her hands - plus the light flashing under her skin - she shivered. 'They're in there, aren't they?' Bella wasn't listening - instead she was staring at something behind Amy and Canton.

'Don't turn around.' She whispered, stepping forward. 'I know you're scared. I know you are. It's okay to be scared.' She took the astronaut's hand in hers, squeezing tight. 'I promise you it'll be okay. Cross my heart.' Giving a reassuring smile, the astronaut dropped her hand, backing away and retreating down the hall. 'It's her.'

'Who's her?' Canton asked - Amy already knowing the answer.

'The astronaut. The little girl is the astronaut.'  _The astronaut is also my mother, but right now she's just a little girl. And she's scared._ 'We have to get back to the TARDIS.' Before they could move, she heard Amy scream again. By the time she turned around, she was gone.

* * *

 

'They've been following me since I was 16.' Bella said quietly, sitting across from River and taking a small bite of her sandwich. 'I keep leaving myself notes, that's why I can remember them.'

'You have a photographic memory.' It wasn't really a question - she'd noticed during their adventures Bella's uncanny knack for remembering small details. 'Handy.'

'Not really. Well, not against this lot. I can remember a lot more than the average person when it comes to the Silence, but I can't remember what they look like. Hence the notes.' River nodded, frowning when she heard footsteps coming down the hall. 'Space idiot?' She nodded, and the pair fell into complete silence, staring at the doorway until he appeared.

'Talking about me again?' He grinned, trying to be upbeat despite the situation. 'We have to find her.'

'At least her chip's still active.' River offered, pulling out the chair next to her and motioning for him to sit. 'We'll find her, sweetie. Don't worry.' He rested his head in his hands, her fingers stroking the back of his neck gently. 'We'll all be okay.'

'Will we, though?' His head shot up, his eyes burning. 'Amy's gone, Rory won't stop listening to her begging for us to save her, the Silence want this one dead - ' He motioned to Bella, who grinned at him through a mouthful of bread. 'I still have no bloody idea who you are, and there's a little girl stuck in the middle who, let's face it, is probably long gone.' Sighing, he banged his head against the table. 'This is why I should be alone. I break people.' Her fingers tangled in his floppy hair, drawing gentle shapes into his scalp. 'Sorry I yelled.'

'You're allowed to yell, sweetie.' Her voice was soft and reassuring, her free hand gripping onto his. 'You're allowed to be scared. You do know that, right?' He shook his head sadly, mumbling something about bravery. 'You do not have to be the hero. You're allowed to be afraid.' Bella stood up, motioning silently to River that she was giving them a moment, before leaving the room. 'We're going to find her.'

'Why do they want Bella dead?' He asked quietly, looking into her green eyes. 'They seem hellbent on killing her, or at least telling her that they want to kill her.' River snorted - he was right. They had been trying since she was 16, and the little thing was still breathing.  _That's our girl_ , River smiled to herself, pressing her lips against her husband's temple and closing her eyes. 'What?'

'Nothing, sweetie. It's nothing.' She thought about Bella, and how those... things... had haunted her for half her life. _It's scary, baby. But it'll be okay. Because you promised it'd be okay._  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So so so sorry for the delay! Uni hit me like a truck (despite my efforts to be prepared, I was not). Also viral infections are not fun. But here's part 1 of the next update! (I'm typing 2 chapters at once - hurrah for multitasking!) 
> 
> Sincerely hope this is worth the wait! xx


	6. Making Up For Teenage Crimes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 'Melody Pond is no longer of any use to us. You are the one who will be stopped.' It moved towards her, hand outstretched, an awful almost-hissing noise coming from its direction. Peanut leapt out of Bella’s grip, swiping at the monster, before sitting in front of it, hissing loudly. 'You cannot save them, Child. They cannot be saved.' And then she screamed.

_** Sixteen years earlier... ** _

 

‘I’m home!’ Bella yelled up the stairs, dropping her school bag on the ground and kicking her shoes off. Shuffling into the kitchen, she yanked the fridge open, frowning when all she saw was a half-empty bottle of milk (that, knowing how her family worked, was probably well past its use-by date), and last night’s pizza leftovers. She felt a wet nose nuzzling her ankle and she looked down, her little white and grey tabby looking up at her quizzically. ‘Just us home, Peanut?’ The cat mewed as if it were answering her and she grinned, scooping her up into her arms and wandering into the lounge room. She froze in the doorway at the sight of the… alien? _Technically you’re an alien_ , she thought to herself, shaking her head and staring the creature down. Peanut hissed in her arms, her ears pinned back and teeth bared.

_You will be stopped, Bella Song._ It wasn’t talking - shit, it didn’t even have a mouth - yet she could hear it. Like it was projecting straight into her mind. _The Child must be stopped._

‘Uh… listen, I don’t know what you want, but my parents will be home any minute, and uh… My mum is River Song.’ _That’s right, idiot. Go with mum being terrifying._ ‘Heard of her?’

_Melody Pond is no longer of any use to us. You are the one who will be stopped._ It moved towards her, hand outstretched, an awful almost-hissing noise coming from its direction. Peanut leapt out of Bella’s grip, swiping at the monster, before sitting in front of it, hissing loudly. _You cannot save them, Child. They cannot be saved._ And then she screamed.

* * *

‘Bella?’ River called, closing the front door and tossing her keys into the bowl. _Why he insists on the key bowl I’ll never know_ , she thought, picking up her husband’s keys and placing them next to hers. ‘Sweetie, is Bella home yet?’ The Doctor wandered out of the kitchen, their son balanced precariously on his shoulders.

‘Think she went for a run.’ He shrugged, wincing as Leo tugged at his hair. ‘Oi, matey! What’ve we said about hair pulling?’ The toddler simply grinned at him, his bright eyes lighting up at the sight of his mother. ‘Mia’s upstairs doing her homework.’

‘Which we both know means she’s definitely _not_ doing her homework.’ River muttered, taking Leo into her arms and pressing a kiss to the top of his head. ‘Shall we go see where your big sister’s gotten to?’ He clapped his chubby hands, before taking a handful of his mother’s curls and sticking them in his mouth. ‘Charming.’

‘Well, your hair is pretty wonderful.’ The Doctor quipped, trying to defend his son - River simply rolled her eyes and went upstairs, frowning as she noticed Bella’s trainers tossed haphazardly outside her bedroom. _Not on a run, then_. Knocking softly on the door, she pushed it open, her frown intensifying when she saw the state of her eldest child’s room.

‘Doctor!’ Within seconds he was by her side, recognising the note of panic in her voice as something not to be ignored. ‘Look.’ He felt his hearts stop in absolute fear - the room was more blood than anything else, drawers pulled out, photos torn up, her mirror smashed to pieces. Her beloved necklace lay in a pile of broken glass, stained red. He bent down to pick it up, wincing as he nicked his hand on the mirror shards. ‘Mia.’ River whispered, shaking him from his thoughts. He stood up, pocketing the necklace and running to their younger daughter’s bedroom.

‘What’s with all the noise?’ She almost yelled, Peanut mewing protectively in her arms, her face falling when she saw the expression on her mother’s face. ‘Mum?’

‘Have you seen your sister?’ The Doctor asked calmly, not wanting to frighten the 8 year old. Mia shook her head, trying to see around him into Bella’s room. ‘Amelia… I need you to think. Have you heard anything strange?’ Again, she shook her head. The small cat jumped from her grip, running under her bed and mewing from her new hiding spot. River walked over slowly, handing Leo to her middle child, before walking back to Bella’s room, closing the door behind her and letting out a sound closer to wounded animal than human. ‘I… uh… Watch Leo for a minute, yeah munchkin?’ She nodded, pressing her forehead against Leo’s and grinning brightly.

‘Come on, monster.’ She whispered, Leo giggling at her nickname for him. The Doctor waited for her to close her door, before bracing himself and re-entering the war zone. River sat in the middle of the bed, clutching a small bear to her chest, sobs so violent her whole body shook. Sitting next to her, he pulled her against his chest, face burying in her curls.

‘What… what if she’s hurt?’ She managed through tears, gripping onto his shirt. He closed his eyes, pressing a soft kiss to the top of her head. ‘Answer me!’

‘If she’s hurt, she’ll heal.’ He said quietly, rubbing circles on her back. ‘She always heals, darling.’ Her breathing evened out, and he noticed her staring at the tiny bear. ‘Took me 4 bloody hours to pick that one.’ She gave a small, half-hearted laugh, nuzzling into his embrace. ‘She’s Bella. She’ll be fine.’

‘It’s them, isn’t it? They’ve come for her.’ He thought about that - future Bella (well, past Bella… _older_ Bella) had told them that the Silence had visited her when she was a child. That was the problem with knowing their daughter once she was all grown up - they knew too much. Not so much that it took all of the surprise away (Leo, for one, was a big shock), but enough that they were painfully aware of how brave their little girl was. ‘She never said anything about this.’

‘Do you honestly think she told us everything?’ He asked her, his fingers pressing into her spine gently. ‘This is Bella we’re talking about. If she told us everything, we’d never let her out of our sight.’ He heard her sniff, gripping onto him tighter than before. ‘We’ll find her. I promise you, River. I will find our little girl.’ It was then that he saw it - written in (what he could only assume was Bella’s) blood on the wall… _Melody Pond is no longer useful. The Child will be stopped. You will be stopped._

Shit.

* * *

_Nothing can hurt me. Nothing can hurt me._ She kept repeating it, over and over, almost like a mantra. Curling deeper into herself, she held her breath as she heard the door open. ‘I could’ve sworn I heard a noise…’  _You can hear a noise. You can hear me having a breakdown._ She was frozen, her limbs betraying her and staying frozen solid. The door of the closet swung open, the sudden light blinding her. ‘Bella?’  _I can’t breathe. Help me. I can’t breathe. Please help me._ ‘Oh god, Amy!’ She felt a pair of arms lifting her up, she heard yelling - frantic, horrified yelling - but she couldn’t make herself speak.

‘Bells… Come on, sweetheart. Say something.’ Amy prodded gently, tucking a loose strand of her granddaughter’s hair behind her ear. ‘Rory, she’s covered in blood.’

‘She’s in shock.’ He said softly, wrapping a warm blanket around Bella’s shoulders. ‘Do your parents know where you are?’ _Probably think I’m dead. I would._ ‘I’ll take that as a no.’

‘I’ll go get the psychic paper.’ She watched as Amy left the room, leaving her with her grandfather, who watched her with interest.

‘Do I die?’ She finally managed to whisper, tears stinging at her eyes. Rory looked puzzled, scratching his head, before sighing and shifting so he was sitting next to her - his arm tightly around her small frame.

‘Now why would you think that?’ He asked, and she went quiet again, biting her thumb in a bid to calm herself down. ‘You saw one, didn’t you?’

‘I… I don’t remember. All I remember is being scared, and I… I was covered in blood. My blood, I think.’ She took a shaky breath, looking up at her grandfather, who smiled gently at her, brushing her hair out of her face. ‘It kept calling me the Child.’

‘The Child of the Stars… It’s what they all called you.’ He said quietly, watching Amy scribble furiously on the piece of paper in her hand from the corner of his eye. ‘What else did it say?’

‘Something about mum… Well, about Melody Pond… But I know who it meant.’ Amy made a small noise of triumph, tossing the paper aside and crossing her arms. ‘It said she wasn’t useful anymore.’

‘Because she got a bloody mind of her own…’ Amy muttered, Rory shooting her a look. ‘What? She did! And we are so very, very proud of her.’ Bella smirked - one that didn’t quite leave her lips, but a smirk all the same. ‘Got the right one, by the way. They’ll be here in a minute.’

‘Good. Do you want to come downstairs, sweetheart?’ Rory asked his still shaking grandchild, who nodded softly and let him help her to her feet. Sitting her down in the kitchen, she watched as Amy made her a cup of tea, Rory sitting next to her and checking her over for any real injuries. ‘Before you say it, I know you’ve probably healed by now.’ Satisfied that she really was okay, he got up, walking into the small living room.

‘Where’s he off to?’ Bella asked, taking the mug from her grandmother and wrapping her small hands around it, trying to absorb as much of the heat as she could. Amy shrugged, sitting down and pulling Bella into her arms.

‘We miss you, you know.’ She whispered, playing with the ends of her hair. ‘We, uh… We’re thinking of maybe… Coming back?’

‘Really?’ Bella’s face lit up at this - she adored her grandparents above anything else. Loved getting to read Amy’s stories before anyone else. Loved when Rory would sneak her into the hospital and show her all the new procedures he had been teaching. Loved curling up on their sofa and looking out at the Manhattan skyline. She realised what ‘coming back’ really meant. ‘You mean to Leadworth?’

‘Well, we’re not sure. Wherever you lot are, I suppose.’ Amy smiled gently, her fingers now braiding Bella’s hair, not seeming to notice that she was doing it. ‘Have to come up with new names.’

‘Yeah, imagine explaining that one.’ They both laughed, Bella curling closer to Amy’s slender frame. ‘’These are my grandkids, that one’s my daughter who is strangely older than I am, and that’s my son-in-law who’s about 1200 years old.’ I’m sure no-one would find that strange.’

‘It’s not strange to me!’ Amy protested, Bella smiling properly for the first time since the incident. ‘Maybe we won’t come back for good…’ Smile slipping off her face, she gripped tighter to Amy. ‘But maybe we visit more often? And I’ll have a good stern talk to my daughter, and tell her that I miss my insane little space family and they have to visit us all the time. Deal?’

‘Deal.’ Bella took a sip of tea - deciding that no-one in the universe made a better cup than Amelia Williams. ‘Got any new stories?’

‘Well, actually… There is one. Wanna have a quick look before your mum and dad get here?’ Bella nodded, following Amy into her office and sitting down on the overstuffed armchair. ‘I haven’t got a title yet…’ After a few minutes of silence - and Bella speed reading the first few chapters - there was the undeniable sound of her parents arrival in the living room.

‘Bella! Amy!’ Rory called, and they both sighed.

‘Call it ‘Summer Falls’. It sounds whimsical and magical. People really buy into that crap. Especially in the ’40’s.’ Amy grinned, pressing a kiss to the top of Bella’s head.

‘God, you’re such a dork.’ She mumbled, pulling Bella into her side. ‘Complete and utter dork.’

‘Get it from you, apparently.’

* * *

‘I can’t leave her.’ River whispered from the doorway, her eyes trained on Bella’s sleeping form. The Doctor sighed, wrapping his arms around her waist and resting his chin on her shoulder. ‘This is so unfair…’

‘If there was a way to stop it, I would. You know I would.’ He mumbled into her skin, pressing a soft kiss to her collarbone. ‘Seeing her like this… Knowing what’s coming…’

‘Time can be rewritten.’ River sobbed, the desperation in her voice absolutely heartbreaking. He spun her around, cupping her face in his hands and brushing her tears away with his thumbs. ‘Please… Tell me that we can stop this.’

‘We can’t, sweetheart. And I’m sorry.’ She broke down in his arms, gripping onto him, his arms holding her as tight as he could. ‘She doesn’t blame us. You know that. And god… Our little girl ends up being the most important person in all of time and space. She is so brave. So… She’s amazing, River.’ She sniffed softly, tears soaking through his shirt. ‘Just like her mother, eh?’

‘I hate you…’

‘No you don’t…’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look at this! Two updates in a day? I actually wrote this one *before* the last chapter, but it makes more sense here. I think it does, anyway... Hopefully I might crank out another couple of updates this weekend, to make up for my SEVERE lack of updating this month, and before I get hit by the wall that is long-term planning.
> 
> Enjoy! xx


	7. Can You Help Me Unravel My Latest Mistake?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 'Hello there.' Melody spun around, tears rolling down her cheeks, to see the woman from the orphanage smiling at her. 'Melody, right?'
> 
> 'Uh huh... How did you know my name?' The woman crouched down in front of her, brushing a stray curl away from her eyes. 'Are you a witch?'
> 
> 'Yep. Well, sort of. But I'm a good witch, I promise.' She winked, bopping Melody on the nose gently. 'The best witch, actually.' The little girl sniffed, shivering slightly - the air in New York was disgustingly cold this time of night.

'Hello there.' Melody spun around, tears rolling down her cheeks, to see the woman from the orphanage smiling at her. 'Melody, right?'

'Uh huh... How did you know my name?' The woman crouched down in front of her, brushing a stray curl away from her eyes. 'Are you a witch?'

'Yep. Well, sort of. But I'm a good witch, I promise.' She winked, bopping Melody on the nose gently. 'The best witch, actually.' The little girl sniffed, shivering slightly - the air in New York was disgustingly cold this time of night. 'Cold, pumpkin?' She nodded, and the woman took off her jacket, wrapping it tightly around her tiny frame. 'Better?'

'Yes. Th-thank you.' She managed to scrub the tears away from her eyes but they still stung - she could hear them coming for her. She knew they'd come back for her. Suddenly she had a thought. 'If you're a witch, can you give wishes?' The woman closed her eyes, a sad smile on her lips. 'It's okay if you can't. I know only good children can have wishes.' Her eyes snapped open, an anger burning in them the likes of which Melody had never seen.

'I can't really give wishes, sweetheart. I'm not that kind of witch.' Her hand came to rest on Melody's cheek, brushing the fresh tears away with her thumb. 'Don't you ever think you're not a good person, Melody. You are incredibly brave, okay?' The small girl nodded, watching the woman intently. 'Listen... I can't give wishes, but I can give you something that'll keep you safe, alright?' She tapped the small necklace around her own neck, grinning. 'Know what this is?' Melody shook her head, confused. 'This right here is a magic arrow. It's kept me safe my whole life, but I think you might need it more.' Taking it off her own neck, she clasped it around Melody's, tucking her hair behind her ears and smiling at her. 'Perfect.'

'How will it keep me safe? The monsters always come back for me.' She whispered sadly, looking at the tiny silver arrow. 'It's so small.' The woman smiled again, tilting her head so her eyes locked with Melody's.

'It's a magic arrow. Now, it won't keep the monsters away. I should know, because the monsters are after me, too. But it does something so much better than that.' Bright eyes filled with confusion, the woman sighed, sitting down and pulling Melody into her lap. 'It makes you remember that it gets better. You have a family out there, Melody. One who loves you more than you could ever imagine.'

'I do?' She asked, hope rising in her chest for the first time in her life. 'Why haven't they come for me, then?'

'Because they can't. Not yet, anyway. But they will, I promise you. They will find you, sweetheart. And they will love you so fiercely. They do love you.' A noise behind them startled the pair, the woman squeezing her eyes shut and taking a deep breath. 'I have to go, Melody. But I swear to you - you'll be safe soon, okay?' Melody nodded, clutching the chain around her neck protectively. Standing up, the woman bent and pulled her into a tight hug, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. 'I'll see you again, darling. And when I do, you'll understand.' In a flash, she was gone, Melody all alone in the dark alley once again.

* * *

The bedroom door flung open, light flooding the previously pitch black room. 'Get up.' The Doctor groaned, burying his face deeper into the pillow and choosing to ignore the angry woman standing at the foot of his bed. 'I said get up!'

'Sweetie, I'd do what she says.' River mumbled from beside him as she rolled over to switch on the lamp. Sitting up, she scrubbed at her eyes before looking at Bella, who looked more distraught than she had ever seen her. 'Doctor get out.'

'It's my bloody bedroom...' He grumbled as he staggered out of the room, Bella holding her breath until the door closed behind him. Once she knew he had made it to the kitchen, she let the tears flow freely, collapsing into a heap in River's arms.

'Shh, sweetheart... It's okay.' River whispered, rocking her back and forth gently. 'She's okay, remember?' Bella only sobbed harder at this, gripping onto River like a lifeline. 'I'm right here, baby. I haven't gone anywhere.'

'I couldn't do anything!' Bella cried, her voice breaking on each word. 'Would it be so bad if I went back and got her?' River only nodded, stroking her daughter's hair softly. 'Why? You'd be safe! You wouldn't have all that shit happen to you!'

'If you went back and saved me, you wouldn't be here. Bella, sweetheart, look at me.' Bella's head shifted so she was staring into her mother's eyes - still puffy and red from all the crying she had been doing since she left little Melody in the dark. 'I would go through it all again if it meant having you.' Shifting so they were both more comfortable, River tangled her fingers into Bella's hair, stroking it softly as she finally calmed down. 'Knowing you're in my future makes it all worth it. That I've got the bravest, most amazing little girl waiting for me.' There was a soft knock at the door before it opened slowly, the Doctor standing on the other side staring at the pair with worry.

'What happened?' River shook her head, effectively ending the conversation. 'Is she okay?'

'She's fine, sweetie. Just needed some reassuring.' Bella sat up, wiping her eyes and giving a shaky smile. 'Where do you think you're going?'

'Shower then bed.' Giving River a quick kiss on the cheek, she wandered over to the door, her shoulders still shaking. 'I uh... Thank you.'

'Any time, sweetheart. You know that.' With that, Bella bid the pair goodnight and shuffled down the hall - within minutes they heard the shower turn on. Sighing deeply, River buried her face in her hands. 'I hate this.'

'Hate what?' His hand was resting on her shoulder, squeezing gently. 'River?'

'Nothing. Spoilers.' She smiled weakly, pressing a kiss to his cheek. 'Sleep?' He nodded, pulling her back into his arms before they both settled into a deep sleep - feeling safe in the knowledge that they at least had each other.

* * *

A crash from the console room jolted River awake - her husband already out of bed and down the hall before she realised what was going on. Grabbing a shirt from the floor, she pulled it on as she broke into a jog, panic setting in. Standing in the doorway, she saw the chaos before she saw the perpetrator. Pieces of glass lay on the ground, the TARDIS hissing loudly, Bella covered in blood and clutching a bottle of vodka in her tiny hands. 'Give me the bottle, Bella.' The Doctor was crouched in front of her, trying to coax her out from under the console. River groaned, carefully stepping around the glass and kneeling next to him, taking her daughter's hand in hers.

'Darling, give me the bottle.' She shook her head, holding it tighter to her chest. 'Bella, I know what this is about, but you cannot blame yourself. You did the right thing. You did everything you could, alright?'

'It's not that.' Looking up at them with tears streaking down her face, she took a shaky breath. 'I can't live like this anymore. Not after what happened tonight.'

'Like what, darling?' River asked gently, squeezing her hand softly. 'Can't live like what?'

'Lying to him.' She glanced at the Doctor, biting her lip. 'I'm so sorry. I just... I can't.' River felt her heart clench, knowing that nothing she could say to her daughter could stop her from saying what was coming next.

'What's she talking about?' He looked at his wife, confusion evident in his eyes. 'River?' Sighing, she took his hand in hers, kissing his knuckled gently before looking up at him.

'I'm sorry, my love. Please forgive me for this.' She looked back at Bella and nodded, Bella taking a deep breath and staring at both of them.

'I'm your daughter.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry this has taken so long! Just started a new job, uni has been hectic with assignments, family in and out of hospital... anyway - update! Enjoy xx


	8. All These Things That I've Done

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 'How long have you known?' River winced - he had never yelled at her like this before. 'And don't even try to tell me you had no idea - of course you knew. You bloody know everything!'
> 
> 'Sweetie, you need to calm down.' She spoke softly as if not to frighten him, her hand reaching out for his. He pulled away, glaring at her. 'Does it matter how long I've known?'

'How long have you known?' River winced - he had never yelled at her like this before. 'And don't even try to tell me you had no idea - of course you knew. You bloody know everything!'

'Sweetie, you need to calm down.' She spoke softly as if not to frighten him, her hand reaching out for his. He pulled away, glaring at her. 'Does it matter how long I've known?'

'Of course it matters!' Sighing, the Doctor leant against the console, resting his head in his hands. 'All this time she's been lying to us.'  _Us. So he's hurt for both of us - not just himself._ She took his hand in hers, kissing his knuckles softly. 'She shouldn't be here. This could rip a hole in the universe and she knows it.'

'But it hasn't, has it?' He thought for a moment before shaking his head. 'She's never given anything away. She's always done the right thing - well, her version of the right thing, anyway. Darling, we obviously did something right, because she's brilliant and you can't deny her that.'

'What if it's not  _me_ , though?' Her eyebrow quirked, before she realised exactly what he meant.  _If this face isn't the face Bella grew up with._ 'I mean, I know that's a possibility and all, and it really shouldn't bother me because I've been through so many already, but I want it to be me. I want us - and I mean, you and I, exactly how we are - to be her parents.' She wriggled between him and the console, resting her hands on his chest and looking up at him.

'We're here for her now. Right now she needs us, okay? She's terrified - the secret's out, and she can't hide anymore.' Glancing down the hallway, she closed her eyes. Her child was hurting, and there was nothing she could do to make it better. 'Whether she comes to us, or... goes to them...' She had to bite her lip to stop the tears that had been stinging at her eyes since Bella stormed out. 'She needs to know that we're here.'

'She's gone to them. I heard her leave about 5 minutes ago.' He mumbled, burying his face in her wild curls and pulling her close. 'She'll always go back to them.'

'And they're us - so you and I both know she'll be safe there.' Wrapping her arms around his slender frame, she finally let the tears fall - silently, but in what felt like a stream that would never end.

* * *

Scrubbing at her eyes, Bella sniffed softly, wrinkling her nose at the eye make-up now staining her hand.  _God, I must look wonderful right now_. Shuffling into the bathroom, she quietly shut the door behind her before turning on the light, sighing when she saw her reflection.  _Yep. Wonderful._ Slowly she removed her mask, tossing the wipe in the bin and leaning against the counter, staring at herself for a few moments.  _Could I be any more of a fuck up? Actually yeah, I probably could._  Turning off the light, she wandered into her childhood bedroom, grabbing a pair of sweatpants and an old t-shirt, pulling them on before flopping down onto the bed. Thankful for the first time in her adult life that her mother had insisted she keep clothes at their house 'just in case', she closed her eyes, seeing the hurt and betrayal on the Doctor's face once more. Deciding that being alone - as well as this emotional - was not a good idea, she moved quietly down the hall to the last bedroom, opening the door softly before crawling into the bed, nestling between the two bodies already occupying it.

'What's wrong, baby?' River's arms wrapped around her eldest child, pulling her closer and running her fingers through her hair. 'Oh no... that was tonight, wasn't it?' Bella nodded sadly, tucking her head under her mother's chin and cuddling tighter against her chest. 'I'm sorry, sweetheart. I know it hurt. But I'm right here - and the only reason I'm here is because of the good witch who gave me that necklace, all those years ago.' Bella's mouth twitched into a small smile, grateful that her mother was trying to make her feel better. 'You know, after you told us... well, this one, at least - ' She nodded her head towards her still sleeping husband ' - who you were... It was the longest night of our lives. Not knowing what came next. I remember crying all night because all I wanted to do was hold my little girl and tell her how much I loved her, and that it was okay, that you were safe. I'd already had to protect you once - when you burst into our room because you'd just left me alone in New York.'

'Why can't I just go back and save her?' Bella mumbled, her voice smaller than River had ever heard. 'What difference would it make?'

'I wouldn't have you. Or Mia. Or Leo. I wouldn't have my little family.' River whispered, still stroking Bella's hair gently. 'Knowing that you were in my future made everything worth it, sweetheart. I would do it all again if it meant having you.' Her daughter gave a small nod, still gripping onto her tightly. 'Go back, darling. But only when you're ready. If you need to spend some time here, that's perfectly fine.'

'Can I stay here a while?' Her voice was shaking still, tears shining in her eyes as she looked up at River, who simply nodded and shifted so they were both comfortable. 'I love you, mum.'

'I love you more, baby girl. More than you'll ever know.' The pair drifted back to sleep, completely oblivious to the fact that the slumbering Time Lord had wrapped an arm protectively around his two psychopaths - even asleep, protecting them with his life.

* * *

'And how long did our beloved daughter say she was staying?' River simply smirked over her cup of tea at The Doctor, her eyes fixed on Bella who was staring into the fridge. 'Darling, pick something or close the door.' She heaved a sigh, grabbing a tub of yoghurt and shutting the door dramatically, before sitting down between her parents. 'No idea how you can stand that stuff.'

'I know, I know. 'It's just stuff with bits in it'. Well, I happen to like stuff with bits in it.' She grinned at him brightly, shoving a mouthful between her lips with more flair than necessary. 'Don't deny it - you totally miss having me around.'

'Oh yes. I absolutely miss tripping over your shoes, and having to wait hours to use the bathroom because you're putting your face on or whatever it is that you're doing in there.' River snorted, and he pointed at her. 'Oi! Don't you laugh! She's a bloody nightmare! Remember when she almost burnt down the bloody TARDIS because she decided to make biscuits, then got distracted and forgot about them?'

'Oh sweetie I remember. I also remember someone getting very emotional when his little girl moved out.' Patting his hand gently, she gave him a soft smile - the one she reserved just for him. 'Just admit it - you love having your kids home.' The Doctor glanced at Bella, who was balancing her spoon on her nose, eyes crossed and tongue sticking out between her teeth in an act of sheer focus. 'Especially this one.'

'Are you saying I have a favourite child?!' He almost shouted, startling his daughter out of her trance, the spoon clattering to the ground. 'Because we both know I could never favour one over the others!' River sighed, squeezing his fingers. 'River!'

'I'm not saying you have a favourite. We both love all three of our impossible children equally...'

'But?' He cut her off, eyeing her carefully. Bella leaned forward, batting her eyelashes and smiling sweetly. 'Don't even try it, you.'

'But we have something special with her. Something no other parent can ever say they got. We got to know her as a person, not just as our daughter. We loved her long before we even knew who she really was. Got to have absolutely insane adventures with our baby, without worrying for a second about her safety. Even now, when she's off adventuring with us, we know she's perfectly safe. Because we've lived it.' Her eyes shone with tears as she spoke, The Doctor taking her small hand in his much larger one, giving her a look that clearly said 'are you alright?' She shook her head slightly, giving a small laugh. 'I'm fine, sweetie. Just glad to have our girl home for a while.'

'Back to that question - how long are you planning on staying?' Bella shrugged, resting her head on the table and tapping her fingers lightly. 'Honestly, you can stay forever if you like. God knows it'll keep your mother happy.' He smiled at her, an almost identical grin plastered over his eldest child's face. 'A week? Month? Seriously help your old man out a bit.'

'I'll know when I know, okay?' She grumbled, tossing her spoon in the sink and leaning back in her chair. 'How long was I gone?'

'About a month. Drove us completely mad not knowing where you were. Well, we knew where you were, it just hurt a bit not having you with us.' He admitted quietly, watching her with interest. 'When you came back...'

'Spoilers!' River snapped at him, swatting his hand. 'You need to stop giving into her. Just know that we were very glad to have you home. But we knew you were okay because you were here with us the whole time.' Bella smiled softly, holding onto both of her parents' hands. 'Go back when you're ready.'

'Whenever that is...' Bella sighed loudly, slamming her head on the table.

'Drama queen.' The Doctor mumbled, smirking at his over-dramatic daughter.

'Gets it from a certain Time Lord.' He glared at his wife, who simply smiled. 'Never said it was you.' Their child sat quietly, just glad to be home. Around the version of her parents she was certain loved her no matter what.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's been a while (again...) - but enjoy! x


	9. Are You Old Enough?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lookie! Update! I DID NOT FORGET ABOUT THIS!!!!! I PROMISE!!! IT'S A (POST)CHRISTMAS MIRACLE!!! (Sorry it's a bit short - just wanted to get this chapter out of the way!) x

It had been months since either of them had seen Bella. River could tell you exactly how long it had been, down to the second. The Doctor preferred not to think about it too much, rather keep himself busy by having adventures with his Ponds. He was still angry at her, if he was being honest. Runs around with him for years, then drops the bombshell that she is actually his daughter, then disappears into thin air. Well, not thin air - he and River were fairly confident that they knew where she was, but because they would be crossing their own timeline, they couldn't go to her. Instead, they simply hoped she would turn up. Which, as luck would have it, she did. The Doctor woke up in the middle of the night, very aware of the fact that his wife was no longer next to him - the door to their bedroom slightly ajar, the TARDIS humming gently the only sound in the air. Sighing, he grabbed a shirt and pulled in on, shuffling down the halls in search of River. 'Feel free to point me in the right direction...' He grumbled, the old girl simply choosing to ignore him. After what felt like an eternity (but in reality, had only been about 15 minutes), he decided to check the one place he was certain she wasn't. Heading to the now-abandoned section of their home (River had begged the TARDIS to change up the layout, so Bella's room now sat at the end of a hallway, in an area no-one ever went - just so she wouldn't find herself standing in the doorway, silently praying that their daughter would come back to them), he felt his hearts clench when he saw the door open. Pushing it open slowly, he braced himself to see River sobbing in the middle of the bed, clutching at something of Bella's again. Instead, he saw his wife fast asleep, curled up behind their child. Sitting down on the edge of the mattress, and careful not to disturb them, he brushed his hand over Bella's forehead - just to be sure she was real, and not part of the TARDIS interface, trying to make River feel better.

'Hi, sweetie. What're you doing up?' River whispered softly, blinking curiously at him. He gave her a gentle smile, leaning over to press a kiss to her temple. 'What?'

'Nothing, love. Just...' He glanced down at their still sleeping daughter, her hands gripping onto her mother as if she were a lifeline. 'When did this happen?' She smiled sleepily, running her fingers through Bella's curls, her eyes tearing up slightly. 'River?'

'Couple of hours ago. I heard her moving around the console room for a bit, so I waited until she came in here and fell asleep. I didn't want to frighten her.' She admitted after a few moments, looking up at him. 'I don't want her to leave us again.' The Doctor sighed, placing his hand over theirs, squeezing lightly. 'I'm so terrified that she'll disappear.'

'She will eventually, love. We both know that.' She gave a slight sob, tears in her eyes. 'Hey... You know that when this one leaves, we get a tiny Bella all of our own. We get to watch her right from the beginning, and she'll be amazing.'

'She is amazing.' River said suddenly, closing her eyes. 'She's already amazing.' He smiled, laying down and wrapping his arm around his girls, holding them close to his chest. 'And you're right - she'll be amazing. Our little bundle of amazing.' They drifted back to sleep, their daughter nestled between them, finally back where she belonged.

* * *

'So where've you been?' The Doctor finally asked, staring at her across the table. Bella sighed, shovelling a spoonful of cereal into her mouth, chewing slowly. 'With us?' She nodded, tapping the spoon against the bowl, eyeing them suspiciously. 'What?'

'Nothing. Just... You guys didn't look for me?' River made a noise, tears in her eyes. 'I... I know you did. But you guys know I was safe, yeah?'

'We never know, Bella. You're so bloody erratic we never have any idea if you're going to show up dead!' River seemed to scare herself as she yelled at her daughter, her hand flying to her mouth. 'Sweetheart, I'm sorry...'

'No you're not. But I'm not upset. You're right. I'm not the most stable person in the universe. I never have been.' She continued shovelling cereal into her mouth, talking through half-chewed cornflakes. 'Not your fault, by the way. You two are awesome parents. I think the genetics might have something to do with it, though.' River huffed, sitting down between the pair and wrapping her hands around a cup of tea. 'I missed you guys.' She said quietly, staring into her bowl. River gave a weak smile, reaching across and squeezing Bella's hand. 'Older you guys are great and all, but I missed the adventures. Not having you both worry about me all the time. Although, I guess you're going to worry now, right?'

'We'll try not to, but no promises, okay?' River said softly, taking a small sip of tea. 'All I really have left to worry about is when you'll make your first appearance to us.' Bella quirked an eyebrow, before realising what she meant.

'July 12. According to the birth certificate. Can't tell you what year - you two kept moving around, so it was really hard to keep track.' Bella bit her lip nervously, worried that she'd given too much away too quickly. Deciding she might as well go all in, she took a deep breath. 'I'm 36 this year. No idea how old you two are, but yeah. 36.' The Doctor and River looked at each other, trying to silently figure out exactly how long they had left until they had a newborn to look after. 'There is no way either of you are going to figure this out. Just ride it out, you'll be fine.'

'I'd like some warning, if it's all the same to you!' The Doctor grumbled at her, running his fingers through his hair. 'After all, we're the ones who have to raise you.'

'And for like the millionth time ever, you do an amazing job at it, so calm down. It's all going to be fine.' She grinned, standing up and sticking her now empty bowl in the sink. 'I'm going to have a shower. Maybe head out for a bit after - ' They both stared at her. She'd just come home, and she was leaving again? 'To the shops or something, good god. I'm assuming we're on Earth, yes?' The Doctor nodded slowly, and she smiled. 'Good. I'm running out of tea leaves, and there's only one planet I can get the ones I like from.' She practically bounced out of the room, leaving her parents to themselves - the first time since she'd arrived back on the TARDIS.

'36.' River breathed, resting her head on The Doctor's shoulder, his fingers tangling in her curls. 'She's so young...'

'For a Gallifreyan, yes. For a human?' He scratched his head, thinking for a moment. 'I have no idea. I'd say about midway?' River nodded slowly, closing her eyes. 'So we're okay at this parenting thing, yeah?'

'Apparently so...' She whispered, tangling her fingers with his. 'I'm just glad she's back. It was getting far too quiet around here.' He snorted softly into her hair, breathing her in and wondering just how he got so lucky. 'I actually can't wait to meet her. Our version of her.'

'Neither can I, love. Neither can I...'

They didn't know it yet, but they didn't have to wait much longer... Well, for them, anyway.


	10. Things We Lost In The Fire

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SO I FINALLY GOT A CHANCE TO UPDATE. I AM SO SORRY IT HAS BEEN LIKE 3 MONTHS. I didn't forget about you lovely people! x

**Chapter Ten**

 

‘You knew.’ The Doctor whispered, staring at his daughter across the room. ‘You knew, and you did nothing to save them.’ Bella bit her lip, staring down at the floor beneath her feet and willing herself not to cry. ‘You did nothing!’

 

‘I did everything I was supposed to. It’s a fixed point, you know better than anyone else that I can’t screw around with fixed points!’ A single tear streamed down her cheek, her shoulders shaking as she tried to compose herself. ‘If I could’ve stopped it, I would have. You know that.’ He sighed, leaning against the console and closing his eyes. ‘They’re my family, too.’

 

‘I know. I just… You couldn’t have at least warned me?’ She shook her head, wandering over to his side and leaning against him, her head coming to rest on his shoulder. ‘Of course you couldn’t. Sorry, sweetheart. I’m just struggling a bit here.’ She gave a small laugh, tears streaking down her face freely. ‘My Ponds are gone, your mother has locked herself in the bathroom and refuses to come out.’

 

‘She will. Just give her a bit of time.’ He nodded, pressing a small kiss to the top of her head. ‘Everything always works out. Just give it a while, and it’ll all work out.’

 

‘I hope you’re right. I really hope you’re right.’ Bella smiled weakly, squeezing his arm before walking towards the hallway. ‘Where’re you off to?’

 

‘Find Mum.’ She said simply, leaving The Doctor alone with his thoughts for the first time since Amy and Rory were lost to time.

 

* * *

River heard a soft knock at the door - it was far too quiet to belong to her husband, so by the process of elimination, it had to belong to her daughter. ‘It’s open.’ The door swung open slowly, Bella shuffling in, holding two cups of tea in her hands. ‘Moved from the bathroom about an hour ago. Too cold.’

 

‘I need you to know it’s going to be okay.’ Bella whispered, perching herself on the edge of the mattress and releasing one of the mugs to her mother. ‘It will be okay.’ River sniffled slightly, giving an attempt at a smile. ‘Hey, you’ve got all of this to look forward to!’ She motioned at herself, grinning like a maniac.

 

‘That I do, sweetheart.’ River laughed sadly, squeezing her child’s hand gently. ‘Believe me, I can’t wait. Honestly, it’s all that keeps me going some days, knowing that you’re in my future. You are… You are still in my future, right?’ Bella rolled her eyes, resting her head on River's shoulder and humming as her mother ran her fingers through the lavender-coloured curls. ‘I’ll take that as a yes. Just checking, dear. Things have a habit of changing around here.’

 

‘They absolutely do. But I’m still here. I’m like the only thing that stays constant around this place. You all go on that I’m unpredictable, but I’m not. I always end up back where I belong, which is with you guys.’ Her fingers started toying absentmindedly with the hem of her skirt, picking at the stitching nervously. ‘Any news on the archaeology front?’

 

‘Yes, actually. I’ve been asked to head an expedition by the Lux Corporation.’ River said excitedly, her entire spirit lifting. ‘It’ll be nice having something to distract me from… All of this.’ Bella winced - she knew exactly what that meant. River was off to the Library, where she’d run into younger versions of both her husband and daughter. Oh, and die. ‘What?’

 

‘Nothing.’ Bella said, entirely too fast. ‘Be careful, yeah? Last thing we need is for you to get impaled on some boring dig.’ River smiled gently, still trailing her fingers through Bella’s hair. ‘Have you told grumpy yet?’

 

‘I was going to tell him today, but…’ She trailed off, tears stinging at her eyes suddenly. ‘I’ll get around to it. He’ll hate it, only because he’ll have to hear about it for months.’ Bella gave a weak laugh, trying to stop herself from revealing the future - well, her past. ‘How about we go save him from himself?’

 

He’d need a lot more than saving, that was certain.

 

* * *

‘So, that was tonight, wasn’t it?’ Bella asked quietly, leaning against the console and giving The Doctor a weak smile. He nodded, undoing his bow tie and tugging it off, gripping it tightly in his hand. ‘I’m sorry. I really am.’

 

‘I miss her already.’ He whispered, his voice cracking. ‘I just don’t understand. How are you here? I mean, how are you alive? How do you even exist, if she’s gone?’ He reached his hand out, resting it softly on top of hers. ‘You’re still real.’

 

‘I know I am.’ She said reassuringly, squeezing his fingers. ‘You can’t get rid of me that easily.’ He chuckled slightly, shaking his head. ‘What?’

 

‘Nothing. You just always know what to say. I know you can’t tell me anything, but I need to know. How are you still here?’ He put his hands on either side of her face, looking deep into her eyes - the ones that were identical to her mother’s. ‘Does… Does she get out? I’ve spent so long trying to figure it out, and I can’t. I can’t see a way of getting her out.’

 

‘You’re right, I can’t tell you. But I can tell you that it’ll be fine, and just hang in there.’ Giving him a quick hug and a kiss on the cheek, she held onto his hands and smiled. ‘I know you won’t listen to me, but please. Don’t travel alone, alright? Just, not for too long anyway.’

 

‘Wait, you’re leaving?’ He looked hurt by this - that she would just walk away when he needed her the most. ‘You’re all I’ve got left. I can’t lose you as well.’ Bella winced, letting The Doctor pull her into a tight embrace, her head resting on his chest, the steady beat of his twin hearts soothing. ‘I’m not losing you as well, Bella.’

 

‘You have to let go of me eventually. I can’t hang around forever.’ He shook his head, pulling her closer. ‘Dad… One day, you’re going to get a brand new, uncorrupted version of me, who needs you way more than I need you. And once she’s here, I can’t be.’

 

‘How long can you stay?’ He asked quietly, still not letting her go. ‘I’m not ready to let you go. I’ve tried so hard, ever since I found out who you were, to be a good father. I really have tried, Bella. You’ve been through so much, all because you happen to be my daughter, and it’s not fair. I want the chance to fix it.’

 

‘You can’t fix it. No matter how hard you try, you can’t. The Silence will always be after me, I’ll always lose people I love. I know you want to fix it, and I appreciate that. But you can’t, so please don’t beat yourself up about it. I don’t need fixing, because I have two parents who love me, and that’s all I need. That’s really it.’ She wrapped her arms tightly around his waist, closing her eyes. ‘I have everything I need, because I grew up knowing how loved I am by the only two people in the universe who matter.’

 

‘Just… Can you stay for a while?’ She nodded silently, gripping onto him. ‘I believe you, by the way. That everything will be okay.’

 

‘Everything’ll be okay.’ He agreed, smiling sadly, as in that moment, everything was.

 


	11. I Belong With You, You Belong With Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look at that - an update within a reasonable(ish) time frame! Enjoy, lovelies! x

‘You’re not real.’ The Doctor said quietly, staring at his wife. River sighed sadly, resting her hand gently over his, giving his fingers a small squeeze. ‘You can’t be real. You’re just an echo, River.’ She laughed, the sound reverberating through the room. ‘Just an echo.’

‘If I’m an echo, and I’m really dead - tell me how our daughter is still terrorising the universe?’ He frowned - that was something he couldn’t answer. He had theories - one that was particularly painful being that River had secretly given birth to Bella some time before she went to the Library, and their child was being raised somewhere in the universe by strangers. But then he remembers - Bella swears they raised her. She knows too much about them to have been raised by anyone but them. River was staring at him, her eyebrow quirked. ‘Sweetie? Care to share with the rest of the class?’

‘I just… I don’t understand. You can’t be here. I watched you die, River. I fell in love with you, long after you were dead. I had to let you go to that awful place, knowing you’d never come home to me.’ Tears stung at his eyes as he finally said it out loud - he had to let her go, and it had almost killed him. He felt her warm fingers brush against his jaw, and he leant into her touch, closing his eyes. ‘God, I’ve missed you.’

‘I’ve missed you too, darling. I promise I’m here, and I’m here for good.’ River whispered gently, her fingers tangling in his hair. ‘I can’t leave you again. I won’t.’ The Doctor smiled weakly, slowly wrapping his arms around her waist, tugging her close and burying his face in her curls. ‘I swear to you I’m really okay.’

‘I believe you.’ He sighed, kissing her temple whilst he ran his hands over her small frame. Slowly he scooped her up into his arms, carrying her down the TARDIS hallways to their bedroom, his mind racing the entire way.

‘Sweetie, is everything okay?’ She looked up at him, her eyes wide with worry. ‘You’re being awfully quiet.’ He gave a small laugh as he lay her on the bed, watching her with interest. ‘Please say something.’

‘You seem… different, somehow.’ He admitted softly, sitting next to her and resting his head in his hands. ‘I know you’re the same woman I fell in love with. You just seem different.’ River sat up, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and resting her head next to his, fingers dancing across his chest. ‘You don’t feel different. And you really don’t look different. Something’s just… changed.’

‘I had children.’ She said quietly, her voice barely a whisper. ‘I know I wasn’t in there as long as I think I was, but to me it felt like a lifetime. I had children, I loved them, I raised them, and now they’re gone. I know that some day we’re going to have a little girl of our own, and I know how much I love her, but I feel like a part of me has been taken away.’ He sighed, kissing her temple and holding her close. ‘Sorry, I’m just being silly.’

‘You’re not being silly. I remember Donna…’ He took a deep breath - talking about Donna was always hard. ‘I remember Donna saying how real it felt in there. I have no idea how you must be feeling right now, but I’m here for whatever you need, for however long you need it.’ She gave him a weak smile, snuggling closer to him and wrapping her arm around his waist.

‘Can we just… can we just lay here tonight?’ It pained him to hear her like this - her voice smaller than he’d ever heard it before. He nodded, stretching out on the mattress and allowing her to curl against his side, her head resting on his chest, curls brushing against his jaw. The silence was comforting, and even though he was still processing the fact that his previously dead wife was laying in his arms, he finally felt like everything was okay again.

* * *

‘About time you showed up!’ River smiled, moving to pull Bella into her arms - Bella stepping just out of reach and frowning. ‘What’s going on?’ Bella closed her eyes, her shoulders shaking ever so slightly. ‘Bella, talk to me.’

‘I… I didn’t realise you were home.’ She whispered, tears shining in her eyes. ‘I’m just gonna say goodbye to Dad, then I better go.’ River grabbed her hand, pulling away when the touch of her daughter’s skin physically hurt her.

‘What was that?’ River gasped, rubbing her hand gingerly. ‘Can… Can I not touch you anymore?’ Bella shook her head sadly, tears streaking down her face. ‘Bella, what’s going on?’

‘You’re pregnant. I can’t touch you, because I’m growing inside of you. I’m crossing my own timeline now, and we both know how badly that’ll end.’ River let out a small sob, her hand resting on her still flat stomach. ‘No, you’re not allowed to cry. Neither am I. We’re not allowed to be sad about this, because you’re going to get a brand new me in a few months.’

‘What about you, sweetheart?’ Bella smiled weakly, leaning back against the counter. ‘What happens to you now?’

‘I’m off to have a normal life. I’ll spend the rest of my life with my versions of you and Dad, hopefully settle down, maybe get a real job. Honestly, Mum, it’s just the beginning, so please don’t look at it as this being over.’ River gave a quiet sniff, trying to see the positive in the situation. ‘I promise it’s okay.’

‘All I want to do is hug you right now, but I know I can’t.’ River said quietly, her hand still on her stomach. ‘But you… You’re right here. This is really you.’ Bella nodded, smiling. ‘Sweetheart, thank you. For being you, being my perfect little girl.’

‘Thank you for being the best mother in the universe. Give that one a cuddle for me, yeah?’ With that, she was gone, leaving River more alone than she’d ever felt - except not alone at all.


End file.
